Cause or effect? VPIP sliding

You have to play whatever style you're comfortable with. But yes, I do think that you are passing up a lot of +EV situations by playing not playing more hands.

I think playing good and tight preflop is important and will help a lot as you move up to 2/4 and behind. But IMO at .5/1 and good 1/2 and even 2/4 games, you need to be looking for any reason to get involved in pots with the loose passives, b/c you can so easily outplay them post flop.